Google Chrome will soon allow its users to permanently turn off the audio of websites, according to a member of the internet browser's development team.
There is currently no timetable on when the feature will be rolled out to Chrome, but it should be soon because it is already under experimentation.
Google Chrome Mute Website Feature Coming Soon
François Beaufort, a member of the Chrome development team, said through a Google+ post that a feature to mute websites directly from the page information bubble is currently undergoing testing.
Users who would like to try out the feature will need to have the latest Canary build of Chrome installed on their computer. It is deactivated by default but can be turned on through the --enable-features=SoundContentSetting switch.
In its early version, the mute sound feature can be accessed by clicking on the information icon at the far left of the address bar in Chrome, represented by the letter "i" in a circle. For websites with HTTPS enabled, the icon will instead appear with a padlock icon and a "Secure" label.
Clicking on the tab's icon will reveal several details regarding the website, including permissions for Location services, Flash, automatic downloads, and popups. Once the mute websites feature is activated, a "Sound" option will appear, and it can be deactivated by the user.
Users will need to mute websites one by one, but once the sound is deactivated for a certain website, it will remain muted until the user toggles the switch again. There is currently an option to mute Chrome by right-clicking on the tabs where the user wants to deactivate sound, but the audio will return for the website when the user reopens the tab or the browser.
The upcoming Google Chrome feature to mute websites will prove to be the most useful against autoplaying videos, which are very annoying for most users. Whether because the user is in a location that requires silence such as a library, or trying to concentrate on a certain matter, or in a myriad of other situations, a feature to deactivate sounds for websites will certainly have its applications.
Major Google Chrome Improvements
The feature to mute audio for websites is just one of the many improvements that the development team has planned for Chrome.
Another useful feature coming soon to the internet browser is its own ad blocker, which Google announced earlier this year. The Chrome ad blocker will focus on preventing annoying ads from being shown to users and is expected to be launched some time next year.
